__ Click here for Audio of Homily__
__ Click here for Video of Mass __
[__ver-03__] Homily – Dec. 1, 2024 / Advent (Year C) ● Jeremiah 33:14-16 ● Psalm 25 ● 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 ● + Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
[__00__]
In today’s Gospel (Luke
21:25-28, 34-36), Jesus speaks about the end of the world, And the 1st week of Advent is always
about the end of time,
that Jesus will come at the end of
time.
But the end of the world, is not only
about what happens next, physically or materially, but also spiritually.
When we experience a change or when we
receive a person or thing into our lives, we are called to consider not only
the material aspects, but the spiritual, the material rewards or risks, but
also the deeper spiritual meaning.
The 1st
commandment reminds us to put God first, to have no other gods before him.
Being
grateful, living with an attitude of gratitude also helps us to put God first
and to consider that Thanksgiving is not just something we do at the table with
a traditional menu, but all year long, living with a spirit of Thanksgiving
helps us to trust in God's mercy and His plan for our lives. As you know, at
this time of year, we just celebrated Thanksgiving, a holiday centered on
gratitude. And when we think of gratitude, we often think of the good things,
the rewards we received, or the increases in pay we received, or the increases
in value we received, the successes we achieved or experienced. But as
Christians, we're called to a deeper understanding of Thanksgiving. And the
word Eucharist means Thanksgiving, not just for the blessings we wanted, but
for all the things we have, even trials and challenges.
[__02__]
__ Jesus' Example of Thanksgiving__
When
Jesus gave thanks, He wasn’t merely thanking God for good gifts. He gave thanks
at the Last Supper, knowing He was about to face betrayal, suffering, and
death. He wasn’t giving thanks for worldly success, the obedience of His
disciples, or popularity with the authorities. He gave thanks for His life and
for the opportunity to offer Himself as a sacrifice for others.
For us, this challenges us to rethink
our own attitude of gratitude
and attitude TO gratitude.
Are we only grateful when life is easy? I am definitely more grateful when life
is easy. But can we also NOT GIVE THANKS during the difficult times. Trust,
trusting that God is working through these difficult times.
[__03__]
__ Giving Thanks in Difficult Times__
The
Apostle Paul, writing from a Roman prison, urged the early Christians to __ "give
thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ
Jesus"__ (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Paul himself endured suffering, yet he remained grateful. In his letter to the
Colossians, he prays that they may be __ “joyfully giving thanks to the
Father,”__ even as they endure trials
with patience (Colossians 1:11-12).
This teaches us that genuine gratitude is
not about denying the pain and challenges of life. It is about acknowledging
them and trusting that God is present and working through them. The Psalms are
filled with prayers of lament—honest cries of pain and sorrow. Yet, even in the
midst of lament, there is often a turn to trust and praise.
[__04__]
The Connection Between Gratitude and Trust__
Gratitude
and trust are deeply connected. When we give thanks, we acknowledge that we
have received something we did not earn or could not achieve on our own. It is
an act of humility and trust. We recognize that God is the giver of all good
gifts, and we trust that He is with us, even in our struggles.
Recently, I had the opportunity to
reconnect with a priest from my home parish. I remembered a time – 20+ years
ago - when I was facing doubts and uncertainty about my future. I went to him
with my questions, and he gave me simple but profound advice: __ “Go before the
Blessed Sacrament and pray before the tabernacle. You will get an answer.”__
At the time, I didn’t realize how much
that advice would shape my life. He was absolutely right. And,while, I did not
get an answer to every one of my questions, I knew what I would do … at least
for the next month or so, to live through this period of doubt and uncertainty.
Praying before the Blessed Sacrament
brought clarity and peace in the midst of my confusion. Recently, I was able to
thank – “gratitude” to this priest for that advice, and it reminded me of the
power of gratitude in difficult times.
He had forgotten all about his advice to
me and was glad to be reminded (20+ years later) noting that that the good we
perform– that I perform– or you is sometimes not visible to us or not known to
us in this life.
There's a psychologist named Carol
Dweck. Now, Carol Dweck is not religious in any way. She's a totally academic
psychologist, but she wrote about write a book called “The Growth Mindset” in her opinion, in this influential
book, she writes about the importance that we grow not just by achieving success,
and we are not just called to praise children or praise other people just
because they're successful. We're called to praise others just for the effort
that they put in, and God appreciate the effort we put in, and this helps us to
grow whether we are successful or not successful.
[__05__]
Patience and Depth of Faith__
Often,
we think of patience as simply waiting without frustration. But true patience
is deeper. It’s the ability to endure with trust and hope, even when life
doesn’t make sense. We might feel impatient on the surface, but something
deeper can be happening within us—a growth in trust, a quiet confidence that
God is at work.
Gratitude, patience, and trust are
intertwined. When we give thanks, especially during hard times, we are
practicing trust. We are saying, “God, I don’t understand this, but I trust
You. I believe You are with me, and I thank You for Your presence.”
… to say, God, I don't understand this, but I trust
you, or to pray the Divine Mercy, prayer on your on your right in the front of
the church, Jesus, I trust in You.
[__06__]
A Call to Thanksgiving__
